


the more that you say, the less i know

by grantairemrys



Series: the evermore 'verse [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Set during S1, and questions, does this count as a songfic, i love taylor swift so much, ok that's it before i give everything away, there are scars, this is my first fic holy cow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:48:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28709949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grantairemrys/pseuds/grantairemrys
Summary: Arthur sees something he shouldn't have, and asks questions.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: the evermore 'verse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2104599
Comments: 29
Kudos: 121





	the more that you say, the less i know

**Author's Note:**

> alrighty oh my goodness i've finally done it now. i've had the idea for this particular fic stuck in my head from the moment the inimitable taylor swift released willow. then my brain got extra bored in quarantine, so here i am dreaming up bbc merlin stories with a word count of a thousand or less, inspired by the songs of her latest album, evermore :') this is the first one i've liked enough to upload to ao3 so. wooo.
> 
> is this where i say i do not own any of these characters, let alone bbc merlin?
> 
> here we go!

It had been a long day of collecting reports from the townspeople who lived on the borders of Camelot, and Merlin honestly wanted nothing more but to wash up and hit the hay. Well, hit the lumpy-looking mattress provided by the inn he and Arthur were staying in.

After Arthur had made the most out of the wash basin provided by the innkeeper and was now lying on the bed gazing at nowhere in particular, Merlin stands, peels his tunic off, and starts to wipe his upper body down with the damp rag. He stretches to reach a particularly itchy spot on his back when the blissful silence breaks.

".....Merlin?" Arthur says. He's now sitting up in bed, eyes trained on Merlin's back. "What happened?"

No. _Nonononononono_. Merlin's sleepy mind jolts awake and is forcefully reminded of why he doesn't go topless around anyone: his back (and his front too, but his back's taken the brunt of it) is riddled w scars from all the magical creatures and villainous sorcerers he has to battle to save the prince's life and fulfill their shared destiny in secret, and now prince in question is staring at his back in mild horror.

"Surely training isn't that hard on you?" Arthur continues, a hint of guilt in his voice. "I don't reme–"

"N-no need to fret, your highness, it's nothing." Merlin cuts him off, firing off multiple prayers to the Triple Goddess in his head and begging mentally to _please do not pursue it, you clotpole, for the love of the entire bleeding kingdom._

"Nothing?!" Arthur splutters, gesturing to his back. "That does not look like _nothing_ to me, Merlin."

Merlin pauses, then turns to Arthur with his best shit-eating grin and two fingers crossed behind his back. 

"What if I told you I got these from saving your life?"

"Saving my– Now you're just messing with me." Arthur huffs, flopping onto the bed. 

"Yes, you have to believe me, sire!" Merlin continues, shit-eating grin getting wider as he flutters his lashes. "I've rescued you from certain death multiple times, actually. These things on my back? Battle scars."

Arthur throws a pillow at him, which he catches and throws back to him because there's only one pillow per bed and Arthur would make him retrieve it anyway. "Don't be ridiculous, Merlin. Fine, keep your secrets."

He would have sounded childish if he hadn't sounded so.... Hurt.

Merlin doesn't quite know what to say to that, so he tugs his shirt back on and crawls into the other bed. When he turns to his left, Arthur's rolled onto his right side to stare at him.

"You're an odd one, Merlin." He says, eyes calculating for a moment. "You talk too much, and yet I find myself feeling I don't know you as much as I should."

Merlin looks up at the ceiling, thinking of pyres and gallows and his mother telling him to be careful.

When he looks back to his left, Arthur's turned away from him and is now asleep, softly snoring.

**Author's Note:**

> if you've made it this far, i ADORE you. thank you so much.
> 
> please please please leave a comment!!! i'm new to fic writing and i'd appreciate any feedback you have for me <33


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